Gokusen 30 Kisses Sawada x Yankumi theme part II
by Seoinage
Summary: This is a continuation of Moon Klutz's Gokusen 30 Kisses for Shin and Yankumi, written for LiveJournal's 30 Kisses Community. Please read her fic first before this one. A series of Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko fics with continuity in 30 parts. WIP
1. 1 of 30 Kisses: When We Touch

**Title**: When We Touch  
**Author**: Seoinage  
**Pairing:** Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko  
**Fandom**: Gokusen (animanga-dramaverse)  
**Genre:** Romance/Humor/Drama  
**Theme:** #30 – Kiss : キス  
**Disclaimer:** Gokusen © Morimoto Kozueko and various companies with rights to it.

**Author Note**: Thanks to the wonderful Moon Klutz id #5737), I have the opportunity to continue the storyline that she started in part I of _Gokusen 30kisses Sawada x Yankumi theme_ #2296298). You should read that first before reading any further. :)

This means that my fic will also deal with the animanga-dramaverse just as she did (all three mediums that Gokusen currently exists as, anime, manga, & drama, are combined). The manga is still ongoing, though both the anime and drama are finished. At the time MK wrote this, I believe she'd incorporated some things from the manga up to vol 5, some things from the anime (all 13 eps), and some things from the drama (up to episode 8 of the first season).

You don't need to know all of the manga, or all of the anime, or all of the drama to read this fic, because the characterizations and plot will be an amalgam of all three of them. Just having a love of ShinKumi is enough. Oh, and first-hand knowledge of MK's ShinKumi fics for 30 Kisses of course. :)

**Edit (10/11/2005): **Fixed some grammar mistakes and added in a section for my reviewers at the end. :)

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1 of 30 Kisses: When We Touch _**

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Though not by much, the Kuroda household's daily schedule did shift to accommodate their Ojou's return to teaching. The lower kumi members woke up a little earlier to use the washroom, making sure to clean up after themselves. Then they were off to cook breakfast, having it ready by the time her footsteps could be heard.

At the familiar sound, Tetsu signaled everyone in the kitchen and they went into another part of the house to array themselves behind Grandfather. Shin, who stood at the front, looked up as she came into the room wearing a nice shirt and skirt, the matching suit jacket left off momentarily, her long pigtails and glasses in place. His eyes lingered for the briefest moment on her exposed knees, and he thought of her new class, composed of all teenaged boys. _That tracksuit, I'll have to…_

Unaware of his musings, Yankumi exchanged morning greetings with everyone and took up her spot in between Grandfather and Shin. At the small shrine, the head of the clan made the daily offering of incense and then as one, the group solemnly clapped their hands and bowed respectfully in prayer. Ritual completed, they filed into the other room, where breakfast sat, steaming and delicious. Afterwards, the lower kumi members cleared away the dishes on the table and wiped it down.

Shin grabbed his bag and met Yankumi in the foyer where she tried to slip into her shoes, wobbling a little. He came to stand next to her nonchalantly, in the guise of looking for his own shoes, when her hand suddenly came up gripped his arm for balance. Rolling his eyes a little while looking the other way, he acted as her support while she finished.

Grabbing her things and straightening up suddenly, Yankumi took a few commanding steps forward, already shining with determination as her glasses gleaming. "Yoush! This is the start of a new school year! I'm going to do my best!"

"Oi." Shin slipped into the shoes conveniently arranged for his own departure, his words piercing the bubble surrounding the enthusiastic teacher. "There's no need to get so hot-headed this early."

Undeterred, she turned around to stick her tongue out at him and then grinned cockily. "Hey, didn't I make sure 3-D graduated? Huh, huh?"

Shin internally sighed, wondering how her secret would stay a secret at Shirokin with him no longer there. "Come on, we're going to be late."

Though she frowned up at him, he gently pushed her out the door and they made their way over to Grandfather to present their backs to him. The elder Kuroda then raised his hand, striking the two pebbles he held three times over each to ward off bad fortune. Done, Yankumi turned around to face everyone. Shin looked on.

The kumi all lined up to see them off, bowing as one and offering, "Take care, Ojou!"

Yankumi nodded and grinned back at each of them, answering with an, "O! I'm taking off now!"

Kyou beamed at them, "Take care, Ojou! You too, Red Lion!"

"Ou! Thank you, Kyou-san!"

Shin sighed at the nickname. "Sure."

Grandfather smiled, "Take care, the both of you."

Two voices blended as one. "We will, Grandfather."

The elder nodded approvingly, "Ah, you do that."

Shin bowed his head in respect before he and Yankumi turned and silently made their way to the bus stop. Every so often a neighbor would call out to Yankumi to wish her a good day or ask her if "Today is the first day of school, yes?" They didn't inquire as to who Shin was; they already knew through the gossip network and offered him greetings as well.

This pleased Shin, knowing his name was linked with hers.

Reaching the bus stop, he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. As she half turned, he kissed her gently but quickly. "Have a good day, Kumiko."

"A-ah. I will." She looked a little dazed by the quickness of his attack, her cheeks warming with a blush.

Shin smiled inwardly at the sight, and leaned in to kiss the dazed expression off her mouth, keeping contact a little longer than before. As they parted, he tweaked one of her pigtails. "You're going to be late standing around with me."

"I-I know that! Stop distracting me then!" She twirled around in a huff, stomping off as best she could in her pumps, briefcase in a tight grip.

Shin watched her until his bus came.

For a first day, things went well. Having taken that tour of the campus with Natsumi helped in navigating his way around. Shin found all his classes, sat through lectures, and got the required books. Grades had never been a problem for him, but now he had further incentive to do well. Not just for himself or Yankumi, but for the man he called "Grandfather."

When Kuroda Ryuuichiro had heard how the relationship between father and son had broken during the visit to the Sawada household, he had sat down with Shin on the back porch overlooking the garden.

"The plants are beautiful this time of year. If you listen closely, you can hear what they say." Grandfather sipped from his steaming cup of tea, the picture of solemn relaxation in his grey kimono. "I'd like to listen if you want to talk."

The redhead's posture slumped yet stiffened at the same time. That evening, like most encounters with his father, had turned unpleasant.

Slowly, Shin recounted how they had asked for his parents' blessing to date each other, only to be rejected when his father realized who Yankumi's family was. Shin paused for a moment as his eyes narrowed, his expression tightening. Then he continued on, his voice hesitating in certain places as he told how the entire ordeal came to a head, ending with the severing of the father-son relationship. That very scenario had floated around the back of his head, but still disheartening in its reality.

Sighing, the older man warmed his hands with his tea cup. "Relationships between parent and child can be difficult. With my own daughter, this lifestyle did not suit her. Due to my own stubbornness, she left to be married with Yamaguchi and I never saw her again. However, it taught me a lesson that I would not have learned otherwise. Though they are no longer here, Kumiko is, and so now are you." Grandfather looked at him then. "Do you regret what you decided to do?"

"No." Shin raised his eyes to meet that understanding gaze. He could not regret having her with him.

"That is good. Regret can dull the blade and hamper the swing. Look forward, and see that there is a place for you here. Family does not have to be made by blood ties alone. So do not worry. We will take care of whatever comes our way together."

Shin ducked his head to the side, trying to hide the flush of emotion that must be breaking free to embarrass him. What was it about these people that made him feel so good yet goofy like a kid at the same time?

"Thank you." He finally managed, sincerely, respectfully.

"Let us enjoy our tea then."

The memory of their talk left Shin feeling a bit warm, as if that cup of tea still kissed his hands. Shaking his head slightly, he wondered how Yankumi's first day went. _Probably got assigned to another "problem class" like 3-D again_, he thought, smirking. If so, they wouldn't know what hit them. Well, unless she goes back to wearing that funky black robber's mask thinking it'll conceal her.

He announced his arrival home with a muted "I'm back", toeing off his shoes and setting them out of the way.

Minoru poked his head around the corner. "Ou, welcome home! We'll be preparing dinner in about an hour or so. The young chief wanted to train with you beforehand."

Nodding in acknowledgement, Shin dropped his things off in his room and changed into his training pants. He then spent the next hour sparring with Kyou, muscles straining and sweat trickling into his eyes. Over time, learning to control his breathing, his actions, and his strategies even while fighting became easier.

Kyou raised a hand, signaling for a break. "I've got something to show you…Another part of your training."

Shin raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

The young chief went to the cloth package sitting on the edge of the porch. "Here, you know how to use this?" A decent sized knife nestled in the middle of the opened cloth package.

Shin looked at the short knife, remembered his first time at a meeting involving another yazuka group and the first time he'd seen Kyou wielding a weapon. Knowing his future and what it entailed, he stepped forward to pick up the handle in a firm grip. "No, but I hope you'll teach me."

"Now that's the spirit, Red Lion!" A large hand roughly clapped Shin on the back, sending him forward a few steps. "Just remember this one rule: When you pick up a knife, expect to be cut. Then everything will be fine!"

Shin winced, tossing a look of disbelief over his shoulder. "Oi, everything will be fine if you're cut?"

"Well, that's not exactly the meaning behind it…More like, if you're prepared, you'll be fine." Kyou clarified, scratching the bridge of his nose. "So, let's get started!"

They practiced some more, this time each armed with knives. Before, all of Shin's fights had involved bodily harm done (mostly) with bare fists, the more pain given to the other party the better. But now, with the sharp edge of the blade catching the last rays of light, the hilt heavy in his hand, trickles of sweat stinging his eyes and running down his chest, an added element came in. Something dangerous, serious and real. It was something Shin knew he needed to grasp quickly and completely. Life in a Yazuka family meant both good and bad, and he would one day need to step up. Determination narrowed his eyes, muscles straining, focus on the here and now. _If she could do it, so can I._

A while later and after cleaning up, Shin ambled in to help prepare dinner, the band-aids staggered here and there on his arms and elsewhere hidden by his long-sleeved shirt. However, before he got even halfway to the kitchen, he was herded out the door by the other kumi members. "Hey, what's the big idea?"

Tetsu just set him next to Grandfather and Kyo with the brief warning "Ojou's on her way."

And speaking of the devil…

The gates swung open. Up and down the line of kumi came the response of "Ojou, welcome home!", "Congratulations on your first day, Ojou!", and some simply, "Ojou!"

To each Yankumi responded with a smile or an "Ou!"

"Ojou, congratulations on your first day!"

"I'm home, Kyou-san!" Yankumi finally reached the entrance to the house and smiled cheerfully, first at her greeter and then at Shin. As their eyes met – his focused yet soft, hers relaxed yet shy – she repeated, "I'm home."

His dental problems seemed to be coming back since his teeth really wanted to reveal themselves in an embarrassingly huge smile. But he quashed the urge to nod at her, his lips quirking up slightly instead. "Welcome back."

The head of the clan smiled at their antics and echoed Shin's words. "Welcome home, Kumiko."

Yankumi smiled in response. "I'm back, Grandfather."

"Ah. After you get changed, come tell us about your day."

As Yankumi went to put on casual clothes, the rest of the kumi scattered back to their various duties. Tetsu set Shin to washing and cutting some vegetables as they were having hot pot. Minoru laid out the miniature butane stove and various utensils, fussing with the dishes and their placement.

Yankumi returned in a tank top and lounging pants, hair left loose. As she plopped down next to Grandfather, Tetsu rushed over to place a glass of melon juice on the table. "Here you go, Ojou!"

"Thanks, Tetsu." She downed the glass in one pass. "Ah, that hit the spot! And it looks like we're having hot pot tonight. Great!"

So over hot pot, in celebration of her second year as a teacher, Yankumi regaled them with tales of her new students and their reactions. Shin found himself almost scowling before he caught himself and stuffed more food into his mouth. He'd won, right? She finally looked his way, so there was nothing strange in that he just wanted to keep it that way.

"Shin."

It was only natural, after all.

"Oi."

She could be so oblivious at times.

Twack!

"Wh-What was that for!" Shin stared accusingly at his attacker as he rubbed the bump now rising from where Yankumi'd hit him on the back of his head, brow furrowed in displeasure.

"That's for not paying attention and your hot pot's getting cold!" Yankumi stabbed her pair of chopsticks in his direction as if ready for battle in honor of the neglected food. Instead, she asked, "So how was your day?"

"Hot pot getting cold isn't a valid excuse to hit someone." Shin grumbled. Then under his breath, "Not like you need an excuse anyways."

At the narrowing of her eyes – that might or might not indicate she'd heard him – Shin went on normally, going back to eating. "And my day went fine. Got there, sat in classes, came home, and did some training."

Still eyeing him suspiciously, Yankumi filled her dish up with more of her favorites. "Well, that's good then. Right now it's just the basics and later on, the business classes. It'll only get harder, so don't sleep in class!"

Shin snorted. "Don't underestimate me. I can handle this."

Grandfather laughed heartily, picking up his glass of beer. "Come, let's have a toast. To your Ojou's and Red Lion's first day of school!"

Everyone grabbed their respective drinks and raised them up as they roared out, _"Kampai!"_

After dinner, Yankumi went over some papers and Shin took out his books. They worked companionably for sometime, the TV a soft hum in the background. The rest of the household prepared for the evening, some retiring and some leaving for their haunts and posts. Grandfather had gone out to some business, not yet returning.

Almost, they were alone.

Relaxed and content, Shin was caught off guard when Yankumi suddenly leaned over and ruffled his hair, her fingers warm and familiar. Not liking the feeling that she was treating him as a little kid yet again, and at the same time liking it because it was _her_, he shot his abuser an accusatory look even as his cheeks flushed slightly. "Oi!"

Yankumi leaned back, grinning like a cat. "There, that's better."

Something clenched inside of him at her self-satisfied look, his flush deepening as an image of her looking like that, just elsewhere, flashed through his mind. When did it get hot in here? He tried to cover his sudden _awareness_ of the woman across from him by ducking his head and trying to smooth down his abused locks. "You're a big kid."

"What I am is happy." Yankumi shot back with another grin, and then she spread her arms out wide and fell onto her back, staring up at the ceiling with a soft smile. "It's also good to be home."

Putting down his book, he shifted till his hands framed either side of her prone body, supporting him till he almost touched her, body to body. He met her startled eyes with a quirk of his lips even as he leaned down, fascinated by how her cheeks bloomed spots of pink, how her lips parted like she wanted to say something but couldn't, how her gaze suddenly slid off to the side in embarrassment only to sneak glances back up at him every so often.

Bracing himself on one hand, Shin lifted the other to cup the side of her flushed face, fingers sliding into her unbound hair and instantaneously bringing her eyes back on him. Capturing her gaze with his, he slowly continued the downward descent of his head even as he kept distance between their bodies. He didn't want to think about what would happen if someone walked in on them right now. _Would I care?_

Closer and closer…At a certain point their eyes fluttered shut, feeling breaths mingling until finally, he rested his forehead on hers in a gentle kiss.

"Ah, welcome home."

Now that she looked at him, it was only natural that he wanted it to remain that way after all.

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**More Author's Note: **In the drama, there were several scenes where the kumi lined up outside the front door to see Yankumi off to school, and to welcome her when she returned. I wanted to recreate that just for their first day! 

Though I didn't put an exact date to this chapter, it's actually the beginning of April. I had to mess with MK's timeline by shifting things back a month as school starts then in Japan.

I decided to spell Kyou's name with the 'u' as his full name is Kyoutarou. (But it's still the same Kyo-san!)

I decided to have Kumiko's first day dressed in a suit and skirt…to play with Shin. :)

Hopefully this made for a good continuation from MK's "Making it Final". I know it's a bit long… guu U.U

So welcome back to MK's and my wacky world of ShinKumi!

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**To My Chapter 1 Reviewers: **Thank you so much for taking the time to read, review, and for some, to even fav it. Your support means a lot to me, so I hope to continue to deliver! ShinKumi…Fighto, O! XD

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**As always, constructive comments and critiques are welcomed and adored.**


	2. 2 of 30 Kisses: The Rush

**Title:** The Rush  
**Author**: Seoinage  
**Pairing:** Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko  
**Fandom:** Gokusen  
**Genre:** Romance/Humor/Drama  
**Theme: **#29 – The Sound of Waves : 波音  
**Disclaimer:** Gokusen © Morimoto Kozueko and various companies with rights to it.

**Author Note: **Thank you again to all my chapter 1 reviewers! I hope that you guys enjoy chapter 2. :)

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_**2 of 30 Kisses: The Rush**_

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Class 1-D students dashed out of the room towards freedom, a week's worth of it. Golden Week had come to save them from the horrors of school with its math, homework, and exams. They were so quick in leaving that her cry of "Take care of yourselves, everyone!" only reached a few ears. Those few threw up hands hastily in departure and followed their classmates out the door.

"Don't forget to study!"

Silence greeted her impassioned plea and she sighed, gathering her things together. Returning to the teacher's room, Yankumi set down her books and took a seat, lost in the thoughts of her cute students studying their hearts out even while on vacation. They studied so much that their test scores stunned the school and caught the eye of the local press, wherein they ran a front page story about it! An enraptured smile lit her face.

"…Yamaguchi-sensei."

And after that, in three years' time, they would go on to graduating with honors…okay; maybe they just had no problems graduating. The sound of applause from the crowd roared in her ears…

"_Yamaguchi-sensei!"_

"Ah! Is it time to present the degrees?"

A confused pause filled the room, and then a questioning voice snidely asked, "What are you talking about, Yamaguchi-sensei?"

"Kyo-Kyoto-sensei!" Her wandering thoughts snapped back and she stared up at the looming man. "I-I mean…What can I do for you?"

Sniffing a bit in distain, the head teacher spoke down to her. "I trust that your class won't be getting into any trouble during this week off." Suspicious eyes gleamed behind their glasses.

Yankumi gasped in indignation, standing abruptly. "Of course they won't be in trouble!"

Kyoto-sensei snorted, disbelief written over his face. "Though they're not last year's Class 3-D, you still have miscreants. Are you willing to take responsibility for their actions?"

Her eyes narrowed and met his gaze unflinchingly as her tone roughened. "Didn't I say that they wouldn't get in trouble?"

He peered down the bridge of his nose in response, upper lip curling, and tone smirking. "Remember you said that. I expect you to take full responsibility should anything happen."

Yankumi fumed as she watched the head teacher walk away. Why did he always pick on her cute students?

"Psst…Yamaguchi-sensei."

Still frowning, Yankumi turned around to meet the interested gaze of Nakashima. The school nurse scooted her chair closer for more privacy, pulling the math teacher back into her seat.

"Are you and Sawada planning anything, you know, _romantic_ this week?"

The frown instantly turned into a look of shock that gripped Yankumi as she exclaimed, stuttering, "W-what do you me-mean by that?"

At her outburst, the other teachers in the room stopped what they were doing to look over at the huddled pair. Yankumi felt herself freeze for a moment, stricken with the idea that everyone might now know that she and Shin were _together_.

Trying to cover for her slip, the math teacher forced a laugh through the sickly grin she had plastered on her face. "Ah ha ha! I mean…Err, Nakashima-sensei, what do you mean by not liking…Apples?"

The entire room, already quiet from the moment of her outburst, went silent even more at the word 'apples'. Similar looks of confusion, bewilderment, and just plain disbelief were displayed by all present save the two currently pinned by those looks. _Hadn't the school nurse been eating an apple the other day during lunch?_ they wondered.

"Apples?" Nakashima smoothly replied, as if they were not currently two fish in a fishbowl with many pairs of eyes on them. "No, no, you misunderstood me. I like _apples_ just fine, only except for when they are not _picked."_ Then in a louder voice, "Don't you all feel the same way, everyone? It's such a waste after all."

At that, the room buzzed with various consents and nods from the other teachers even as they went back to what they had been doing before thinking some juicy gossip could be overheard. After a few seconds, the fishbowl became an ocean again.

Yankumi could only blink.

Noticing the return to normality, Nakashima shifted closer to the other woman and laughed softly, her voice low and conspiratorial. "Come on; don't tell me you two have never even been on a _date!_ With that reaction, that's what I'll think!"

A blush infused Yankumi's face, and she turned to face her desk to hide from Nakashima's probing questions and seemingly all-seeing eyes. She could feel her blood surging and rushing around her system. "Uhm…That is, we've been so busy...And ah…You know…"

Somehow, Yankumi escaped from the encounter, though Nakashima pouted at not having her curiosity allayed. Panting (she'd run almost the entire way home to make sure she wouldn't be caught again), the exhausted teacher finally slowed down into a walk as she neared the Ooedo compound.

Since school started, a month had passed. Though slow at times, she thought her relationship with her students had progressed well. Hopefully, their understanding of math would increase also. Midterms rapidly approached.

As she got further into her clan's territory, she could feel herself relaxing. Here, people knew her true background. Here, she did not have to worry about hiding and being found out. Here, she answered to "Ojou" and the responsibilities that entailed. Here, she had Shin.

Yankumi could feel her face get red again and stopping abruptly, then started fanning herself. So what if they had never gone on a date before? What Nakashima said bothered her not at all! Really!

"Ah I want to go on a date." So for the rest of the way home, glittery daydreams of perfects dates swelled through her head. Shin's sparkling (and rare) smile glistened at her, his hair delightfully ruffled in a way that made her want to touch and rumple it some more. Dashingly clad in a black tuxedo, he gallantly held a bouquet of red roses in one hand as he ran towards her, reducing her to a warm puddle of goo. She started running to meet him…

"Ojou, welcome back!"

…only to bounce off of Tetsu. "Oomph!"

A scared yet concerned look crossed the kumi member's face as he rushed to help her regain her balance. "Ojou! Are you hurt?"

Dazed, Yankumi looked at him. "Tetsu, when did you get here?"

"Ah…Ojou, you're home." He peered at her in concern. The impact had not been that bad, had it? "Are you okay?"

Realizing where she was (finally), the serial daydreamer blinked, hoping to cover up she had been drifting off. Time for distraction!

"So, where's Shin?" she asked as she moved past Tetsu and into the house.

"He's cleaning up with Minoru at the takoyaki stand today, Ojou."

"Oh, that's right. Will they be back soon?" She crossed the room, heading for the stairs and her room to change. It would be too embarrassing if people found out she daydreamed about Shin.

"Yes, very soon!" Tetsu hovered after her. "Ojou, are you sure you're okay?"

Having reached her goal, Kumiko rushed up the stairs, tossing a "Yes" back down. Safe! Tetsu would not dare follow her to her room, even to continue asking after her.

And she had inquired after Shin because he was normally home by now, not because he had featured in her daydreams and not because of Nakashima's questions…No, not because of that. And not because of dating… Ah! Her face felt a little hot (again!), probably because of all that running. Good thing she could change her clothes and cool down. Maybe she needed a cold drink as well.

Yankumi got into some lounging clothes and headed back downstairs; almost bumping into the object of her daydr…Err…Nakashima's pointed questions. "Shin!"

The redhead seemed to take her abrupt appearance in stride. It was Yankumi after all. One either got used to her or suffered an early heart attack. "I'm back."

"Ou, welcome h-home." Why did her face feel hot again? And why did she stutter over such a simple greeting, something she had been saying for some time now?

Shin eyed her askance. "Oi, are you okay? You're not getting sick again, are you?" He reached out to touch her forehead

Laughing nervously, Yankumi waved her hands in front of her in negative as the pounding of her heart rushed in her ears. "No, no, I'm fine! I just need to get something to drink, that's all. It's not like I'm thinking about Nakashima and you and dating and…" A horrified pause when she realized what she was saying. "Ah…that's not what I meant! I mean…I meant that…I need something to drink!"

She rushed past him, hoping to put distance between her open mouth and flushed state of being. Shin looked on in silence at her fleeing back until she disappeared around a corner. Face in thoughtful contemplation, he made to go to his room, but then finally followed after her.

The next day could only be described as peaceful. Yankumi graded her stack of papers and Shin helped out at the house and trained with Kyou-san. After lunch, the serene atmosphere continued with everyone occupied by their own things. Shin studied near Kumiko as she took a break, sipping tea and watching some television.

"Yankumi."

Caught in the middle of laughing at the comedy act, she absentmindedly responded around a mouthful of snacks. "Hmm?"

"Do you have anything planned for Constitution Day?" He never looked up from his books and notepad.

She frowned, confused. "Tomorrow? No, nothing. Why?"

"Knowing you, you might have something weird set up."

Yankumi tossed some snacks his way, seeing some get stuck in his hair. "Ha! You deserved that, maligning my character."

"See what I mean?" Brushing the snacks from his hair, Shin shot her a look, one that said, 'See what a wacko you are?'

Except for that one incident, the day passed by peacefully.

Constitution Day dawned bright and shining, the sky blue and the wispy clouds a beautiful white. Yankumi never knew that Shin debated about when to rouse her, but with self-preservation in mind, had decided to let her awaken naturally.

An hour later, the morning rituals took place followed by breakfast; Yankumi looking rumpled, pajamas still on. He nudged her gently from his place next to her at the table. "I have to do some research today, and I thought, maybe, that you could help me?"

"Oh, you're asking me for help?" She grinned goofily at him, still a little bit asleep. "Imagine, you're asking me for help!"

"_I_diot. Just be ready."

He got a jaunty salute in return, and they continued with breakfast.

As they left the house, Yankumi looked at the bag slung over Shin's shoulder. "What happened to the bag you normally carry? This one's a bit big...What do you have in there anyways?"

Shin strolled on, nonchalant. "My other bag's in the wash, and I've some things for research."

"Wow, you're taking this really seriously!" Shocked disbelief matched the wide-eyed look on her face.

"Are you underestimating me again?"

An amused laugh escaped, though she tried to contain it. "No, that's not it! I just can't forget you sleeping in class. That's all."

A bus pulled up just as they reached the stop. A quick glance verified the route he wanted, so he grabbed her hand, pulling them into the vehicle quickly. Shin gave the correct fare into the collection machine and made his way towards the rear of the bus where two open seats were.

"Here. Sit down." He made sure to sit on the aisle seat, letting her look out the window beside him. It also ensured she could not get up and do any funny stuff without him getting in her way. Not like he minded the close proximity the seats forced them to be in.

A little while later, she looked from the window towards him. "Is this the right bus?"

"Yes. Don't worry about it." His shoulder kissed hers as the bus hit a bump.

"But we're heading away from the college!"

"We're not going to the campus for the research. Like I said, don't worry about it."

The bus zoomed on, every so often stopping to let a passenger on or off. Yankumi allowed the scenery to flow by, deciding to trust Shin and just enjoy the ride next to him. Most of their days were spent apart, he at Kikawa and she at Shirokin. When they could spend time together, they did so, either consciously or subconsciously.

She leaned slightly against him, and she saw herself smile in the reflection of the window when she felt him lean back.

About fifteen minutes later, the bus arrived in front of the train station. They got off and headed into the terminal. The train Shin led them onto had no available seats, but he stood between her and the other passengers, his chest to her back as they faced outwards.

Then they transferred from the train into another waiting bus. Though they were both unfamiliar with the area, Shin consulted no map. All the directions had been memorized the night before. Realizing they should get off soon, he pushed the button requesting the next stop.

And when he led her from the bus and across the street onto the golden sand, the sound of waves rushed into her ears, enveloping her. Yankumi looked before her and saw his red hair waving in the breeze, his profile lit by the early afternoon sun.

Then she asked, "Oi. What are we doing here?"

He just took a deep breath, as if savoring the smell of the sea air.

"I mean, what's with the research you talked about? What kind of research did you need help with here? I can't imagine general courses giving out assignments that would require going to the beach. But maybe they do, it has been a few years since I was in college myself…"

Shin slowed down, found a level area and set the bag down. It had been getting heavy after all. He started unpacking, first the blanket which he spread, then some drinks and the bento full of food. Kumiko stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for his reply.

He arranged everything, took his shoes off and sat down, pouring a drink for her and one for him. "Here, you must be thirsty."

Not taking the cup, she blocked the sun with her stance. "Aren't you going to answer me?"

"If you have to think about it, I don't want to tell you."

She glared at him, making an almost-devil face, only a few notches below the explosiveness that could erupt.

"O-oi. You don't have to be upset. It's not like I kidnapped you." Maybe he should put a little more distance between them. Instead, he put her juice down and moved the food closer to him, made up a plate and handed it to her.

After a moment Yankumi took the proffered food, the devil-face slowly easing from her expression. She sat down next to him, arranged herself and accepted the chopsticks. "Did you make all this?"

Shin redirected with his own question, "Do you like it?"

She picked up the little octopus-shaped hotdog with her chopsticks. _Oh! How cute! And he had included macaroni au gratin!_ She smiled at him. "If you wanted to eat lunch on the beach, you should have just told me!"

Shin sighed, rolling his eyes as he dug into his own plate. _That idiot._

They never did go do any research, something that had not been in his plans anyways. Instead, the two spent the day playing in the rolling tides, building sand castles, and walking hand in hand. The sun cast a rosy glow on their skins as they wrestled for the last bottle of melon juice, only to be forgotten when he captured her lips with his. That is, until he tried pulling the drink from her hands only to find she still had a firm grasp on it.

The moment they finally returned home, everyone could tell the day had been good to the two. The household members grinned at each other; their Ojou was happy. The lower kumi members smiled even more brightly; their Ojou was happy, which meant that she would not be dealing her frustrations out on them.

The rest of Golden Week rolled by as everyone went about their business. Tetsu invited Shinohara-san over for dinner one night, feeling a bit more comfortable but still getting red around the ears. As before, Yankumi acted as interception, sending death glares around to kill any comments before they could leave taunting lips. Tetsu, if he had known, would have been grateful (only to hunt down his would-be tormentors to beat them up). Shinohara-san, if he had known, would have laughed softly in amusement while holding Tetsu's hand in support (as well as to restrain him from beating people up).

Shin planned no more detours, but the memory of the waves echoed in their ears sometimes, like a phantom visiting and soothing.

Even when the night she got a phone call which required her (and Shin, of course) to leave the house in the evening to help out a few of her cute students, Yankumi's good mood returned quickly afterwards. (She chalked it up to the ease in clearing her students' name and the good evening weather.)

The vacation week started coming to an end, and both she and Shin began preparations for returning to their respective schools. In their hearts, the two felt reluctant…because it would mean them having to wake up early again and seeing each other mainly during the evening hours.

The day before the return to school, Yankumi woke up in her normal fashion: slowly, groggily, and a bit unwillingly. Languidly she flipped the covers over her head to keep the sunlight out, eyes still closed to catch just a bit more sleep.

Five minutes later, she woke up again, turning her pillowed head to the side to blearily check the time, only to find a small seashell sitting next to the clock. Blinking (was she seeing things or still dreaming?), Yankumi finally smiled gently in remembrance. _Shin…thank you._

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The theme, the sound of waves, refers to Yankumi's daydreams and emotions. It also literally refers to the sound of waves heard at the beach. 

Golden Week is the end of April/beginning of March and consists of 4 national holidays falling within a 7 day period (Greenery Day, Constitution Day, National Day, and Children's Day).

I kept Kyoto-sensei as he was, instead of promoting him to being Shirokin's Principal like the Gokusen 2003 Special did.

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**Constructive comments and critiques are welcomed and adored. :)**


	3. 3 of 30 Kisses: Of Emotion

**Title:** Of Emotion  
**Author/Artist:** Seoinage  
**Pairing:** Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko  
**Fandom:** Gokusen  
**Genre:** Romance/Humor/Drama  
**Theme:** #28 – Wada Calcium CD3 : ワダカルシウムCD3  
**Disclaimer:** Gokusen © Morimoto Kozueko and various companies with rights to it.

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After receiving their diplomas almost four months ago from Shirokin, the 3-D graduates found themselves walking paths that slowly diverged from each other. However, every so often, those still in the area and with the time available would stop, make plans to meet, and enjoy the camaraderie that saw them through the struggles of their last year to graduate together. And for those too far away, a nostalgic sadness would hover momentarily over the assembled group, until inevitably someone would crack a joke to break the uncomfortable and embarrassing wistfulness. Some of the guys would laugh while others groaned in mock agony, pelting the joker with anything within reach, once again Class 3-D and causing their own brand of ruckus.

Fortunately, or unfortunately for Yankumi, those seated on the other side of the booth's table from her and Shin knew about their dating status. And they were looking at her expectantly after Kuma had asked, "So when's the wedding?"

"Yeah, when's the wedding?" smirked Uchi, one arm draped over the back of the booth as he slouched insolently. Here, with his friends, he relaxed and played, temporarily shedding the responsible working man he had become upon graduation.

"Don't tell me you're pregnant, Yankumi!" Noda dramatically gasped, shooting forward to lean on the table only to recoil even faster, an odd squeamish look twisting his face. "Actually, I don't want to think about that. That's just too gross! Yankumi and Shin, doing _that_ together!"

She could feel her face heating up faster than comically possible. "W-what are you guys t-talking a-about? T-that's…that's…" Her mind overheated and she could see little white spots dancing before her, partially obscuring the avidly interested gazes of Noda, Uchi, and Kuma. Yankumi shifted, fidgeting, clearly wanting to get away. She would have too, except on one side stood the wall and on the other, Shin sat, blocking her escape path.

Her eyes took in the cute parfait melting in front of her, the fake plants decorating the walls, the amber light shade hanging up above. Mouth opening and closing, opening and closing; she looked like a fish out of water. A really red fish with panicky eyes that stammered again, "T-that's…w-we've only ever ki…"

"That's between her and me." Shin cut in blandly, trying to head off the imminent eruption from the petite woman. "So stop asking stupid questions, idiots."

"But Shin-chaaan," Kuma whined even as he continued spooning ice cream as fast as he could eat it, "You're living with Yankumi now!"

Perverted thoughts obviously raced through Uchi's mind since he added, eyebrows waggling devilishly, "Yeah, you're a man in his prime who's been living with his girlfriend for over three months now! You guys must have done _something_ already!"

"Though I don't know about Yankumi, I mean, she's not really a woman and all. She doesn't even have breasts and hips!" Noda nodded sagely as his hands illustrated his next words. "A woman should have beautiful curves up top and definitely on the bottom. Now Yankumi, she doesn't have either. In fact, she's so flat that I could iron my clothes on h…" He trailed off abruptly, finally noticing that Death loomed across from him and wanted to collect.

Oh yes, Noda would die a slow death full of torture, or maybe a death where he would come back to life only to have her kill him again and again and again. Both options sounded very good to her blood-thirsty mood right now.

"No-da…" she growled low, like a fire-breathing dragon come to earth. The now twisted parfait spoon dropped with a clang even as she lunged with outstretched hands across the expanse separating her from the soon-to-be victim.

"O-oi! Stop it with the devil face, Yankumi!" Eyes wide and seeing her coming towards him, Noda cursed the fact that he sat in the middle. Twisting about frantically in the hopes that she wouldn't get a firm grip on him, he tried pushing Uchi out of his escape path, but then chose to climb up and over his stationary and cowering friend instead.

Regrettably, for all his maneuvering, Yankumi grabbed a firm hold of the dangling ends of his neck scarf and began strangling him, a manic grin planted on her face. Noda started making horrid sounding choking noises. "H-he-help…! I-I'm…g-go-nna…d-die!"

Shin, after a small pause, went to hold her back. It would be easier restraining a wild boar bare handed. Noticing the looks they were attracting from the other patrons as well as a waitress hurrying away, he then said urgently, "Oi, Yankumi! We're in a restaurant, so you can't kill Noda here."

At the mention of the word 'kill', Kuma whimpered in fright, scrunching up even further against the wall, trying to make himself both smaller and as physically away from Noda and Yankumi as possible. Knowing she grew up in a yakuza household only made him fear her that much more when she got into these moods.

After furiously shrugging off his jacket (Noda had a death grip on it in desperation) and leaving it in sacrifice, Uchi scrambled clear of the entire thing. Too bad for his friend that he chose not do it sooner, but the bleach-blond definitely wanted nothing to do with the rampaging devil. Definitely.

**_"A-hem!"_**

They all froze, heads swiveling towards the loud sound.

The restaurant manager glared daggers at them as he thrust their bill onto the table. "Please pay and stop making a disturbance for my other customers."

A few minutes later…

"We got kicked out."

Shin rolled his eyes.

"I can't believe they kicked us out!"

Shin continued walking along behind the guys.

"It's all Yankumi's fault. I had to leave the rest of my float!"

"_What?_" She exclaimed, mouth dropping open. "How's that all my fault!"

Shin grabbed the arm that would have chopped Noda into two, and then grabbed its twin before it could do anything. Good thing he'd thought to position himself next to her. "Oi, Yankumi. Do you want to involve the cops? Remember, we're still in public."

At the mention of cops, a (small) measure of reason returned only for her to fearfully exclaim, "_Wolves? Where?_" Her eyes scanned the area, ready to escape.

He let go of her arms. "You idiot. Are you even awake?"

Up head, Uchi laughed at her, pointing rudely. "Man, you're so out of it, Yankumi!"

Noda joined in on the laughter, not noticing how close to danger he had come, again. "Yankumi, you'd better do something! You're acting like an old woman!"

"Why you guys…" She breathed, ready to get worked up again. "I'm not old!"

Ignoring the exchange, Kuma rustled in his jacket pocket and pulled out a small white bottle. "Hey, Yankumi, this is from my mom." He awkwardly thrust it towards her as if embarrassed by it.

Attention diverted by the mention of a gift, she looked at Kuma and took the offered item in both hands. "Eh? What is it?"

"Uhm…They're calcium pills. Mom's been on a health thing lately and said that because you took care of us, she should do something in return." Kuma rubbed the back of his head, red tinged around the tips of his ears and high on his cheeks. "Something about the fact that lots of people doesn't get enough of it. It's good for your or something."

The bottle of Wada Calcium CD3 pills stared back at her. How come it looked so familiar? Yankumi frowned, trying to remember. Where had she seen it before?

_Back at the Ooedo household, feather duster in one hand, head covered by a kerchief, and an apron tied over his clothes, Tetsu sneezed. Blinking fiercely and rubbing his sleeve across his nose, the hard-working man grimaced. "Maybe we need to dust this place more often." Sighing and then taking a deep breath as if to brace himself for an ordeal ahead, he got back to cleaning with a vengeance._

At the same time downtown, Yankumi shrugged and gave up trying to remember, and then smiled warmly at Kuma instead. "Tell your mom 'Thanks' for me. By the way, how is she? And your mother too, Uchi! How's studying for the college exams coming along, Noda? You're not distracted by all the girls on summer break now, are you?"

And they were off, talking loudly, animatedly, and argumentatively. They were friends, after all.

Shin easily took the calcium bottle from her – she didn't even notice – and pocketed it, observing the laughing group ahead of him. A small smile made its way to light up his face from its normal cool stare. Yankumi happy made him happy. That was all there was to it.

The next morning when she sat down to eat breakfast, a small dishcontaining twowhite pills werenext to her chopsticks. "Eh? What's this?"

Grandfather took a sip of his hot tea. "Calcium pills, Kumiko. I heard they were a gift?"

Blinking, she nodded affirmatively in response. "Yes, Kuma's mother gave them to me yesterday. But how'd they get here?" A dawning understanding came and she turned to face her suspect. "Shin?"

He raised an eyebrow at her, answering with another question. "Aren't they a gift?"

"Well…yes, they were a gift. But how'd they get here?"

"Are you going to refuse Kuma's mom's gift? That wouldn't be respectful."

Yankumi gave him a shocked look, her honor at stake, "I wouldn't do that! They were a gift!"

"Then take them and thank her next time you see her. Simple, right?"

She stared down at the supplements, and then picked them up. "Well, I guess so." Hand went to mouth and then she chased down the calcium with a sip of water. Shin watched her silently, a banked warmth in his eyes.

"Well, with that settled, let's start. Thank you for the breakfast we have today." Grandfather intoned.

Everyone at the table clapped their hands, saying, "Thanks for this meal we're having!"

Shin smiled inwardly. It never hurt to build toward the future of the Ooedo clan, after all. And she really did need to take care of herself better considering all the scraps she got herself in. Building stronger bones now will leave her a living legacy that will serve her well throughout her lifetime. He never wanted to her to be taken down by the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis, when it could be prevented. So from then on, the calcium pills waited for Yankumi every morning and evening, and she got used to expecting them there.

Only this morning, instead of going through his routine of waking up to the alarm clock, stumbling to the washroom, getting changed, and stumbling downstairs to help set up breakfast, Shin was woken by his very loud cell phone.

"Ugh…" he mumbled, eyelids still glued together, red hair wildly rumpled. Not truly willing to wake up, Shin hid under his bedspread even more as he tried to ignore the noise. "…Go 'way…"

He started falling back asleep, until the incessant tune finally pierced through enough of his muddled brain after a few seconds. A searching hand stuck out from its warm cocoon, waving towards the general direction of the nightstand. Shin groped for the phone even as he snatched a few more blissful moments of sleep. That is, until he knocked his ringing target down onto the floor with a dull thud.

Groaning, he manfully flipped himself to lie on his stomach and angled his upper body towards the side of the bed and finally snatched up the thing. Flipping open the cover one-handed, his hand snaked back under the covers and pressed the phone to his ear.

"…'eah?" No one said he had to be coherent.

Slow and pained breathing came through the line. "Sh-Shin…chan…Sorry for…Calling so…Early…"

The redhead suddenly shot into a sitting position, covers forgotten, and sleep abandoned. "What happened? Are you ok?"

Silence answered instead as the call went dead. Shin's breath caught. "Kuma! Oi, Kuma!"

_To Be Continued_

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**To My Readers:** Thank you for taking the time to let me know that you've been enjoying this continuation! I'm sorry for the wait…Eh heh heh heh...Actually, I'm not kidding anyone. I didn't think I'd get this done before the deadline of September 30th even though I've had this written and beta'd for a while. averts eyes, twiddles thumbs Yes, I am a slacker. (But after getting it beta'd, I had some plot things to think over, so I made a few more changes.) As for that deadline, I'm speaking in reference to the LiveJournal community of 30kisses. You see, the mods requested that all pairings be updated by 9/30/05 if they hadn't been for the last 2 months. If you don't make that deadline, you forfeit your pairing. Since I didn't want to forfeit, I actually finished touching up Chapter 3! Yay!

**Author's Notes:** Even though Tetsu only got a cameo in this chapter, it was so much fun writing him. Just the mental image alone had me smiling.

When Yankumi says "wolves", it means "police" in her (yakuza) lingo.

I've got tons of research ahead to do in order to write the next few chapters. I'm both looking forward to and dreading it. Let's hope I don't get lost on the road of life!

**Personal Note: **Taking enough calcium and vitamin D is very important for your health everyone! Calcium is used daily by your body to keep your bones and teeth strong, ensure proper functioning of muscles and nerves, assist in blood clotting, and much more. Vitamin D is used by your body to help absorb the calcium, so that's why they're often paired together in vitamin/health supplement pills. Or you can also get your dose of vitamin D by enjoying some sun for about 10 minutes a day. The average person loses 400 to 500 mg of calcium a day because their diets may not include enough calcium. And because your body needs calcium to run some essential body functions, it starts leeching calcium from your bones in order to make up for it, thereby weakening your bones. It is sort of like robbing Peter to pay Paul, which we all know doesn't work.

Women continue building bone strength up until their mid-thirties, but after that they either maintain what they already have or start losing bone mass. Men tend to have denser bone mass than women through genetics, but it doesn't shield them from losing bone mass as well. That's when osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) can set in! So exercise regularly and get enough of the minerals you need, okay?

There are many types of calcium + vitamin d supplements out there. They can be large pills, so calcium citrate ones may be best since they dissolve in water (or juice, etc), making it easier to have. As your body can only absorb 600 mg of calcium at a time, I take 630mg in the morning and 630mg at night. That way, I know that I've absorbed the maximum amount of calcium that I can for the day. It's never too young to start taking care of yourself, and it's a small price to pay for your future health. I know that I never want to face the possibilities of fractures in my later years, because that can lead to many other complications. /health message

As always, constructive comments and critiques are welcomed and adored! Till next time:D


	4. 4 of 30 Kisses: Surround My Senses

**Title:** Surround My Senses  
**Author:** Seoinage  
**Pairing:** Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko  
**Fandom:** Gokusen  
**Genre:** Romance/Humor/Drama  
**Theme:** #27 – Overflow : 零れる  
**Disclaimer:** Gokusen © Morimoto Kozueko and various companies with rights to it.

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**_4 of 30 Kisses: Surround My Senses _**

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Shin tossed back the covers and propelled himself out of bed, the _beep-beep-beep_ of the abruptly disconnected call eerily sounding in the morning air. Grabbing the t-shirt hanging nearby, he hastily pulled it over his head with one hand and awkwardly put on his pants with the other. Stuffing his keys and phone into a back pocket, the red head rushed out of the room. With no one up to get in his way, he raced down the stairs in a flurry, jumping the last few to land at the bottom, using the momentum to propel himself further ahead. Not a thought about the racket he was causing registered. Only one thing did. Everything else faded.

Shoes.

Door.

Cold concrete of the sidewalk.

The gate of Kamiyama Shrine that loomed as he neared and shrank behind him as he passed.

Shin ran on, trusting in his own two feet and intuition to lead him right. A name resounded in his head.

_Kuma…_

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"Hey, are you going to finish that?"

The shadow cast by the questioner fell upon the sleepy-eyed youth sitting on the floor with one knee up. Gaze slowly rising to see who had addressed him, the boy stayed silent, his barely touched melon bread next to him. Up on the roof as they were, the breeze felt cool and refreshing in the early April weather. The fragrant smell of food wafted up from the open classroom windows, the excited chatter of those on break a muffled hum in the background. Down below, students on duty served lunch to their fellow classmates.

"You're Shin-chan, right?" The face of the other boy leveled with his own as the other crouched down. Resting his elbows on his bent knees, an openly curious feeling emanated from the pudgy figure. Not waiting for an answer to his first two questions, the youth grinned goofily with his face between his hands as he asked, "How come you're up here, Shin-chan? I thought we weren't supposed to be. Won't the teachers get angry?" He then breezily dismissed those passing concerns with a shrug and continued, with total enthusiasm, "And anyways, they're serving curry today. Curry!"

Feeling a bit of consternation — his solitude had been intruded upon after all — Shin only stared at the boy crouched in front of him. He tried to place him, he had seen him before he thought._Oh, that's right. He's a classmate. Kuma-something. Kuma? Hmm…Maybe he'll go away if I don't answer…_

"Shin-chan, are you frowning? Don't you like curry?" A pause. "Well, maybe you've only had spicy curry? My mom makes me the sweet curry because I like that the best. Before though, she wasn't that good at it, and always burned it." The goofy grin appeared again. "But she didn't like having to clean the pan afterwards. It was always funny cuz she'd try to make Dad do it. He always ran away saying he had customers to take care of though!"

Silence. Wispy clouds passed slowly overhead. The two stared at each other.

"Don't call me Shin-chan."

"But Shin-chan," The other immediately whined, pouting. "…is Shin-chan!"

At those words, the one being addressed as _Shin-chan_ sighed and got up. Dusting off the back of his pants, he stooped back down to pick up the neglected sweet. His childishly round face had yet to slim and mature, his height yet to shoot up. Not that he would ever care; well, that is, until a certain pig-tailed woman entered his life. Not that he would ever admit it.

Shin looked down at the still crouched boy who stared up at him, positions reversed. He held out the melon bread. "Here, you wanted this, right?"

Kuma-something reached forward and stood up at the same time, until the two were eye level. Instead of grabbing the bread, he grabbed Shin's wrist and pumped that in an imitation handshake. "Ehehehe I saw this in a movie last night on TV, this hand thing. It's nice to meet you, Shin-chan! I'm Kumai Teruo!"

"Kuma…huh?" Shin considered the hand still meeting its acquaintance with his wrist. A small, quiet smile appeared. _'Kuma-chan' would be a bit much…_

"Shin-chan gave me a nickname!" Shake, shake shake.

That small, quiet smile turned into a forced one. "Uh, Kuma, you can stop shaking my wrist now."

"O-Oh, right! Sorry, Shin-chan!"

He rubbed his freed wrist absently as he turned away to head down the stairwell. Upon reaching it, he called back behind him, "Come on, didn't you want some curry?"

Heavy footsteps sounded as Kuma caught up. "Yeah! I love curry! Let's get you a bowl too, Shin-chan!"

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The past caught up with the present as Shin rounded the corner, his breath coming heavily as he headed into the familiar stomping grounds of his youth. A bit further and he would be at Kuma's house. Just a little more…err…what was this feeling coming from behind him. Sort of like the creepy tingly feeling one gets when a leg has fallen numb and then blood suddenly starts rushing back in? Is this what one calls "spider sense"?

Nausea gripped his stomach as the creepy tingly deepened. Ugh. No way. If Spiderman felt like this every time, the superhero probably spent more time over the toilet than swinging from building to building.

His senses tingled. He turned his head to look towards his right.

Yankumi saluted him.

Shin almost tripped over his own feet. He regained his footing, wheezed, kept running, and asked instead, "W-What are you doing here?"

Yankumi frowned but kept pace. Her own breathing was also labored, thanks to the long run. "That's what I should be asking you instead! This is too far from the house to be a morning jog."

The reason why snapped his attention back. "Kuma's in trouble."

Her gaze bore into him. "**What?** And you didn't tell me? I had to come all this way to find out?" she growled, tension slowly gathering around her. Yankumi had remembered her glasses, and somehow, that made her even more menacing.

Tingling; not good. Shin ran faster away from her. She caught back up. He blanched. "You didn't have to come, you know! I can handle this myself! And anyway, how'd you find out? No one was around when I left!"

He ran faster. The space between them lengthened.

"Oi! Get back here and answer my question!"

Shin wanted to live and grow old with her. Really. If possible. So he kept running instead, even though he felt like he would never get enough air into his lungs. He was too young to die, especially with Kuma depending upon him.

"Sawada Shin!"

_Kuma was depending upon him._ She breezed past him as he suddenly stopped and turned around.

Almost screeching to a halt, Yankumi ran back the other way to catch up with Shin again. "Didn't you say Kuma's in trouble? How come you're turning back now?" She frowned. "Don't say that you're turning coward now."

"Stupid," he snapped. "It's just because we passed his house when you were scar…err..running after me. We have to go back."

"Oh, I see! H-hey!" she exclaimed as he pulled her abruptly off onto a side road. He shushed her by covering her mouth with his hand even as she struggled. Just then, an expensive looking car rolled by. Through the window, the profile of Shin's father could be seen.

Yankumi pried his hand off to uncover her mouth as she stilled and straightened up. He protested not and stood next to her, narrowed gaze tracking the departing car.

"That's right…your parents' house is around here too."

Her hand felt warm and calloused in his. And slightly sweaty too. He tightened his grip slightly. "Sorry about not telling you before I left." He recounted the details of the weird phone call. "Unfortunately, that's all I know. I thought I'd check the neighborhood since he sometimes has to make early morning trips for the restaurant."

"Hmm…that makes sense. Let's check out his house and see if there are any clues. Maybe we should split up to cover more area also."

Wisps of hair that had gotten loose from her ponytails clung to her damp forehead. "Thanks…Kuma, he…that is…I…" Shin trailed off, not able to say it clearly.

Yankumi let go of his hand and planted hers on her hips as she faced him properly. "Oi, Sawada Shin. Just like Kuma knows he can count on you, you can count on me." That straightforward look speared him, made him weak inside. "Don't you know that yet?" Her fingertip poked him on his forehead. "Stu—pid."

And then that momentary softness about her transformed as she swung around, one hand fisting and then pumping into the air. Determination radiated from the petite figure as she declared, "There's no time for this! Let's go find Kuma!"

Shin nodded as their momentary break ended. He felt renewed. Sweaty, but renewed. Even if he had not wanted to entangle her into any trouble that they may find, a little flush of _something_ warmed his heart. Maybe even curled his toes a little if he were being honest, which he was not. Therefore, Kuma owed him a bowl of ramen after all this.

"Yeah, let's go. He's waiting."  
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**A/N:** Sorry for the hiatus, everyone! x.x; I've really, _really_, appreciated all the comments and reviews people have left for me! 

**Constructive comments and critiques welcomed. Thank you for reading!**


	5. 5 of 30 Kisses: May We Never Be

**Title:** May We Never Be  
**Author:** Seoinage  
**Pairing:** Sawada Shin x Yamaguchi Kumiko  
**Fandom:** Gokusen  
**Genre:** Romance/Humor/Drama  
**Theme:** #26 – If Only I Could Make You Mine: ぼくのものになれば良いのに  
**Disclaimer:** Gokusen © Morimoto Kozueko and various companies with rights to it.

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5 of 30 Kisses: _**

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"What? Don't you have a key?" she whispered.

At least, she meant it to come out as a whisper. Yankumi found herself panting as she wiped her forehead clear of sweat with the back of a hand. Morning found no respite from the heat and humidity of this typical summer day.

"Why would I have a key, idiot?" The droll tone of voice matched the look he managed to produce even though his own face shone with sweat. "It's Kuma's restaurant, not mine. Anyways, maybe it's not locked if he's here."

The white t-shirt and tracksuit pants she'd hurriedly put on over forty minutes ago stuck uncomfortably to her all over. After not finding Kuma in his neighborhood, the journey from their house to Kuma's turned into one to the restaurant. Determined, the two pressed on, hoping to see their friend in his white-collared shirt and apron outside on the sidewalk sweeping as he did every morning in preparations for the day. Then they'd beat him up some for scaring them with that early morning phone call to Shin, the call that'd gotten cut off so abruptly that Kuma's labored voice haunted Shin still. If Kuma had done is as a lark to cost them much beloved sleep and making them go out in this already sweltering weather, it wasn't a very nice one. Still, a lark would be better than the alternative.

So both Yankumi and Shin kept in the back of their minds that maybe this _was_ just a lark, that they'd find the instigator laughing at them as they ran up to meet him just outside the restaurant.

No such luck. Though a few people were out and about, the familiar face of Kuma couldn't been seen. After trying the (locked) front door and not wanting to cause a scene by pounding it in, Shin had motioned for Yankumi to follow and now they were in the back alley of the restaurant, hoping to gain access and maybe some clues.

She wanted to find Kuma. She wanted to take a shower. Instead, when the redhead in front of her turned around to peer in through one of the side windows, Yankumi settled for taking off her glasses (they'd been slipping down the bridge of her nose anyways), and placed them into a pants pocket. Hands freed, she then executed her plan with the precision of long practice earned in a house full of men and their hunger at mealtimes. She grabbed the hem of the back of his t-shirt (the dry part, of course), and used that to wipe her face. Quick, efficient, and now a bit drier.

Yankumi missed the fact that she'd exposed his lower back and a bit of his abdomen to the world in her quest to used his shirt as a face cloth. She didn't, however, miss how he'd stiffened instantly as muggy air met naked skin.

Even as Shin spun back around to face her, sputtering like an outraged shopper denied their bargain, she grinned while sliding past him to try the back door to the restaurant. The doorknob turned underneath her hand, and so, with a jaunty wave and a "Hey, thanks," she disappeared inside.

Gritting his teeth, he could only stand there for a moment, feeling not only his own sweat drenching his shirt, but now hers as well. If under other circumstances, he wouldn't mind. The slight flush on his cheeks deepened. Wouldn't mind at all. This though…just didn't fit the bill.

With the sigh of the ill-used, Shin trudged inside after her.

The metal countertops gleamed with the morning sunlight and reflected the care of those who polished them every day. Some ingredients already sat prepared, others still waiting for knowledgeable hands to tend to them. The kitchen, where the majority of the prep work occurred and ingredients were stored, seemed half-asleep, waiting for someone to finish waking it up. As Shin passed through the doorway into the dining area (where his errant partner should be as well), the quiet _tick-tock-tick-tock_ of the clock on the wall faded behind him.

Yankumi crouched down on the floor, back facing the front door. One hand steadied her as she stretched with the other, fingers splayed. After inadvertently brushing against something on the counter and causing it to fall behind the stool, she found herself in this position of trying to set it back to rights. Muttering to herself as searching fingers felt the crisp smoothness, she got hold of one of its edges and a sound of triumph issued from her throat instead. Pulling it towards her, she turned it over face up and realized its significance.

Just then, Shin stepped through into the dining area, and Yankumi smiled, getting ready to wave it in his face. And just then, as she already committed herself to the motion of standing up, the sound of the lock releasing the front door could be heard, and then more light streamed in from the opening to the jingle of bells.

"Oi, Kuma!" She spun around without looking, her fist raised.

Shin spoke when Yankumi did, only to raise his voice to emphasize who he addressed. "Ah, good morning, Kuma_i-baasan..."_

A pause. A freeze.

Yankumi realized her error instantly, the slip of paper crumpling in the fist that she immediately lowered and hid behind her. "Ahahaha…I meant, oh, Kuma's mom! Of course I meant that! I couldn't have meant anything else! Certainly not just, 'Oi, Kuma' because I thought it might be him!"

Mrs. Kumai stood blinking in the open doorway, startled by the sight of her son's high school teacher along with her son's best friend so early in the morning in the ramen shop unexpected. She recovered quickly, closing the door behind her and smiling in delight. "Ah, good morning, Sensei! It's been a while; I hope you're doing well. Did that son of mine properly deliver the calcium pills to you last night? You know how he gets sometimes." The older woman laughed quietly over Kumai Teruo, her only son, known as Kuma amongst his friends. "Like now, I can't believe he left two guests by themselves while he's off in the kitchen! And Shin-kun, you've gotten more handsome again!"

It was a natural assumption on her part. How, and why else, would two known friends (with one the former teacher) of Kuma be in the restaurant so early in the morning?

Yankumi saw Shin begin an intercept course as Kuma's mother set down her parcels on a nearby table and got ever closer to figuring out that her son wasn't here. She understood Shin's intent. Now he needed to understand hers.

On her best behavior, Yankumi surreptitiously tucked the note inside a pant's pocket even as she smiled brilliantly and replied sincerely with, "Yes, thank you for such a kind and thoughtful gift. I've never taken calcium pills before, but I'll try to now. Kuma told me that you've been interested in health recently, and you're really looking very cheerful today!" All the while she'd been walking towards the other woman, intentionally cutting Shin off. As she got in range, Yankumi gently steered Mrs. Kumai towards the window, using that opportunity to shoot a look at him that said silently, _Get to the door_. She didn't wait to see if he did, instead turning back to look out the window alongside Mrs. Kumai, stationing herself for a quick getaway.

"Do you go to that store right across that way? It must be very convenient, being so close! And Kuma's a good kid; I'm sure he's helping as much as he can with the shop since he's graduated." Unspoken was the fact that Kuma had felt the need to carrying on in place of his father, who'd passed away earlier in the year. The sadness still lingered, and it would be cruel to bring it to the surface. "Like right now! He wanted us to tell you that he's out shopping and having problems finding a few things. Since we were jogging in the area anyways, it was no problem for us to stop by! I'm really glad I got to thank you in person!" Yankumi made as to look at her wrist where her watch would have sat, if she'd had time to put it on this morning. "Oops, look at that. Maybe we can go help Kuma before we head back. We'll talk to you later, Mrs. Kumai!"

And with that, Yankumi ushered Shin out as he made his farewells, the little bell over the door jingling in their wake.

The abrupt departure left Mrs. Kumai with a puzzled question of, "…Shin-kun…jogging?"

Only a few moments later the bell once again rang when Yankumi reappeared in a flash of white and red, the door thrust wide open as she shouted to Kuma's mother, "And make sure the back door is locked!" before she disappeared again.

This time, the older woman could only blink.

-

-

"So, Kuma did go to buy groceries?"

"Yes, probably before he made the call to you. I found that note to his mom on the floor."

"He called about forty five minutes ago." Shin shifted his worried gaze from the watch face to Yankumi's own. "He should have been done and back by now."

They continued to search, sometimes splitting up on side streets only to meet up again empty-handed. Most clerks and shop-keeps disavowed seeing Kuma, but every so often someone would remember seeing him riding his bike, headed _that way_. Another twenty minutes passed by and the area turned more industrial.

A memory stirred in Shin. "Hey, aren't we getting near where Uchi lives and works?"

"Hmm…," Yankumi pursed her lips. "I think you're right. Maybe we should ask Uchi if he's seen Kuma."

They sped up their pace, and would have missed the shadows deep within the alleyway they were just passing if not for that minute gleaming of light off of metal. That caught Yankumi's attention enough for her to dimly make out an abandoned bicycle, making her think of Kuma. She immediately snagged the back of Shin's collar, causing him to come to an unpleasantly quick stop. Just as immediately, she released the hold on him, saying, "Come on."

He gagged a little even as she rushed forward into the unknown, her sneakers making short distance of the pavement, her eyes scanning for any danger.

"Oi, Yankumi!" He followed soon after, recovered, senses alert. The shadows cast by the two tall buildings forming the alleyway made no noticeable difference to the mugginess of the air. However, they were deep enough to cast a grey-black haze over the length of the long alley. Even after passing the bike, the white of Kuma's shirt was barely visible where he lay further down still, amongst the scattered bags of garbage and empty boxes not yet attended to.

"Kuma! Are you ok?" Her voice roughed with concern and then anger as Yankumi took in his battered and dirtied appearance, dropping to both knees to the ground in order to reach him.

Shin reached the two of them, breathing a sigh of relief at seeing Kuma, even in this shape. He bent down to pick up the cell phone next to its owner, gently placing it into Kuma's hand. "Hey."

Kuma's eyes fluttered open slowly, as if bracing against a headache, hand tightening around the phone. "Y-yo, Shin-chan…Yan…kumi…," greeted Kuma, a blossom of black and blue starting to making its mottled appearance high on his left cheekbone even against his tan. "Uchi is…over there."

"Sorry we're late." Shin swallowed against the lump in his throat, "I'll go check on Uchi."

"…Good…"

She listened to Shin hurry over to their other friend, heard a fourth voice faintly quip, "Took you long enough."

Slightly relieved, Yankumi turned back to Kuma. "How are you feeling?"

"Not…so bad, now. Had some…time to rest."

"Hang in there, Kuma. And Shin's check on Uchi right now. We'll get you back home soon" Yankumi reassured. "Do you know who did this?"

"Naw…I don't know…Maybe Uchi does."

Yankumi filed that away to be asked later. Priorities first.

Kuma nodded, eyes closing a little They reopened as he sighed out, "Didn't mean…to get you and Shin-chan out of...bed…"

Yankumi ignored any possible payback to that little jibe when Kuma lightly chuckled at the insinuation that they'd been in bed _together_. Instead, she chose to think positively, that if he can joke, then at least he's still here and conscious. She assessed her former student, asking him questions and listening to him breath. Good, no broken ribs or any other bones here. The other worry was concussion.

She peered over at the other two. "How's Uchi?"

"Don't worry," Shin reassured. "Uchi's fine. He's too stubborn not to be."

"This stubborn guy…agrees," groaned Uchi, struggling to sit up, one hand pressed against the rising knot on the back of his head, the other acting as anchor. He frowned away Shin's attempts to help, muttering about how he wasn't a little kid anymore, but was ignored and got the help anyways. Shin was like that.

The background noise of the two bickering seemed to release a tight band of tension inside her. "Hey, your time on the garbage bed is over," she joked to Kuma. "Let's get you sitting up if you can."

It took some time, but finally they arrived safely at Uchi's apartment. With his mom's schedule firmly in mind, Uchi knew no one would be home to question the state the two males were in.

Well, _too_ much questioning.

After cleaning up, Uchi called his boss and Kuma phoned his mom. Both got another hour of leeway before needing to go to their respective jobs. Then the four of them sat down around the low table in the living room and the two who were injured explained what they remembered.

According to Uchi, who insisted on giving them _context, _it started out with little things at the construction company where he worked at. Things like material orders mixed up, project deadlines unexpectedly changed, employees moving on and new ones hired for training. Normal, run of the mill kind of situations.

It became a bit more costly when trying to reorder specific types of material that shouldn't have run out during the middle of a project, but did anyways. They would then find out that everyone in the area were sold out, no longer carried it, or didn't know when more would come in. That forced the boss to buy further away, increasing overhead costs and slowing things down.

Some quit after minor accidents kept plaguing their assigned sites. Rumors of it being haunted made the rounds and more believed it by the day. A few more quit after claiming that the ghosts now prevented them from sleeping at night.

"I don't believe any of it, of course," Uchi snorted, nursing his throbbing head with an ice pack. "Ghosts don't exist."

"Really?" Shin cocked an eyebrow. "What about the time you claimed that Tomie–"

"I didn't say that! I just said that _maybe_ I might have seen someone who _might_ look like Tomie!"

"Who's Tomoe?" interjected Yankumi.

"_Tomie_," stressed Kuma, looking around as if half expecting the beautiful vision of the girl to appear, even though she was just a fictional character from a horror manga.

"Someone with a lot more looks and boobs than you–"

"OW!" Uchi lay with his back flat on the floor, head facing away from the low table where the four of them sat at, cold compress still clutched in his hand. As he levered himself back up, the ice went to nursing the new knot forming on his head. He glowered. "Don't hurt an already hurt man, Yankumi! That's cold!"

"If you're a man, don't start what you can't finish." She flexed her hand and found everything in good working order.

"Oh, come on, Shin!" whined Uchi. "How can you stand to be with such a manly…man? I could introduce you to some – whoa!" Just in time, he dodged, but the maneuver put him flat on his back again anyway.

Sitting cross-legged, leaning on one arm with his free hand tapping against the floor, Shin's demeanor suggested that Uchi definitely filled the textbook definition of "idiot."

Kuma latched onto the almost-promise of pretty girls. He wouldn't stop bugging Uchi about it for the next month.

Uchi decided to stay down during the rest of his telling of the story.

"Err…anyway, so after the ghost bit, more stupid gossip about how it wasn't just that one site, but the entire company that was haunted. Heck, I think even some of those who don't believe it ended up staying away because of that stuff. I mean, sure, who am I to know what's going on with 'em-but me, I think they believed it. That's why they didn't have the balls to come in person to resign. Did it over the phone. I mean, now that's pansy."

When Kuma frowned, it made the band-aids dotting his face contort some. He frowned now. "How come you didn't say anything last night to us about all this?"

"Why worry you guys? We were all there to have fun. 'Sides, it'll clear up. Summer's the busiest time for us in the construction business! Sure, it's been almost two months now and the boss sure is getting anxious about that permit coming through, and my hours have been cut back some so I've been thinking about picking up a second job, but…" Uchi trailed off, doubt re-entering his mind.

The three remained silent as speculations about possible ghosts or other more earthly interferences were cast aside with the last reveal. They knew how excited he'd been in getting the first real job that would allow him to help out his mom.

Yankumi had her fingers laced in front of her on the table, little furrow lines appearing on her brow. "So what happened this morning?"

Kuma shifted uncomfortably on his cushion as the memories came back.

"I was just going to get to that," grumped Uchi. "I was on my way out the door to work when Kuma got here–""Yeah, since I forgot to return the video game I'd been borrowing from him when we met up last night, I figured I could do it this morning since I was out and the shop wouldn't be opening right away–"

"We started talking about the game and since I had to get to work, we decided to just head to the main road together. I guess we didn't realize how far we'd walked till all of a sudden some dudes jumped us from behind, saying that we were bad luck since we probably worked for the company. Even though there were two of us, there were three of them…It was all a bunch of bull."

"Were they trying to get you to quit?" queried Shin, a contemplative look edging his gaze.

Uchi sat back up to look at Kuma questioningly. "Do you remember if they said anything else, Kuma?"

The other shrugged. "Nope. I think they went straight into hitting us."

"Why, you think that's what they wanted, Shin?"

"Maybe. Maybe not. Need to know more first." A noncommittal reply. "Let's meet up tonight…"

Uchi repeatedly made the 'X' sign with his arms as if to ward off Shin. "No way. Not _ever_. I've got a seriously hot date tonight that I'm going to make even if I'm dead. My time is up. Need to get to work. We'll talk later, but _not tonight_."

Hopefully the hot date liked the roughed up kind of looks that Uchi currently sported.

Shin made as to open his mouth to say something, only Uchi beat him to it. "And no, I don't need you guys to walk me there. This ain't kindergarten." So he proceeded to push everyone out of the apartment, locked up, and headed off to his job, part deux.

Yankumi, Shin, and Kuma stood watching for a few minutes until he disappeared around the corner. Then Kuma embraced the two of them in a bear hug in thanks for finding him and Uchi. Wordlessly, he released his hold while grinning sheepishly all the while. Yankumi beamed, glad to see him safe. Embarrassed yet touched by the contact, Shin looked away as he scuffed the tip of his shoe, hands thrusting into pants pockets.

Backing away, Kuma turned and retrieved his bike from where it'd sat while the four were upstairs (Shin and Yankumi somehow managed to help support both boys back while wheeling the bike at the same time–it was one lucky bike). Assuring them that he'd be fine on the way to the restaurant, he got on, readied himself to take off, and then solemnly promised he wouldn't ask them when they're going to make him an uncle for 'some time'. And he was gone, grinning and laughing as he high-tailed it out of there.

Yankumi uselessly kicked some dirt after the bike, looking tousled, sweat-matted, and full of plotting, vengeful ire. Yup, also definitely pouting.

"Come on, Tomie, let's go back."

"Who the hell's Tomie? Are you cheating on me, Shin? If you are, I'm gonna beat you down!"

"Ah," he smiled. "That's my Tomie."

It was worth it when she started chasing after him.

-

-

That night after dinner, after they finished with preparations for their own return to their respective schools, the two of them sat out on the porch under the moonlight. A slight breeze alleviated the still warm night air some, and having no one else around helped with the mood.

Or it should have. Shin eyed the two feet of space between them. Hmm.

He took that opportunity to look at her, objectively noticing the tapered smoothness of her feet (that could execute a perfect heel kick), the slim and well muscled legs in those shorts of hers (with the ability to outrun so many), the curved hips and trim waist (he was glad the guys don't see her like this), the gentle slope of her breasts (ok, so she's not endowed – not a big deal…err…no entendre intended), the suppleness of her back (German Suplex anyone?), the strength of her hands and arms (definitely put to not-so-gentle uses at times), the graceful neck and collarbones, the shape of her jaw, her lips…

Shin jumped inwardly when he finally noticed that she'd noticed that he'd been looking at her.

"Are you going to mention that Tomoe gal again or something? If you do, I'm–"

"Tomie." He wondered if she'd enjoy reading the manga bearing that name. Probably. "And no, I'm not."

"Tomie, Momie, whatever." She dismissed her error with a negligent wave of a hand. "More importantly, what do you think is happening with Uchi and that company?"

He looked out into the garden. "I don't know yet. But we'll find out."

She nodded, firm in her resolve. "Yes, we will."

Shin breathed in, feeling his chest expand to hold in all the air as his lungs worked to get oxygen into him. And out. And in again. Usually no conscious thought made that happen-life took care of itself as with the beating of the heart. Today, this morning, just over twelve hours ago, Shin felt his breath catch and heart clench when the raspy sound of Kuma's voice cut through his sleep-muddled mind. But they'd found him along with Uchi. Luckily, thankfully. And then another mystery appeared with Uchi's story.

He muddled over it for a bit as the two of them sat in silence, the wood underneath them comforting. Then he carefully stored the mystery away to a place where it could easily be recalled to be analyzed, and switched his attention back to the woman sitting next to him. The pitch of Shin's voice reached out to her, low yet light and all the while soft, as he said, "How about make tonight memorable to?"

She looked at him consideringly. "How so?"

He smiled. "Let's spar."

Did he see her deflate a little just then? He inwardly crowed with delight.

"But we've already showered."

He got up and held out a hand towards her. "Then we'll just have to shower again after."

She smirked, the light of battle lighting up her gaze. "Time to see how your training's been going then."

-

-

Later in the evening, when most of the household had already retired to bed, the two lay side by side on the grass, exhilaration coursing through them, panting breaths released into the sky above.

He turned his head towards her, looked at her, _saw_ her. He smiled so softly that it flitted on his lips like an illusion, his eyes matching.

She wriggled her cool toes against his ankle, her gaze up on the stars. If either of them moved their hands an inch toward the other, they would have touched.

"You know we've got to wake up in the morning. I've got class to attend and you've one to teach."

"Hmm…"

"You're not much of a morning person."

"Neither are you."

"But I'm not a teacher."

"And I'm not a student."

"No, you're not," he laughed quietly. "At least I'm not _your_ student anymore."

"Yes." A hint of exasperation entered her voice. "You really were too much those last few months before you graduated."

"Too bad we didn't do more things back then." He mourned a little, but only a bit. The endgame turned out in his –their– favor anyways.

The grass rustled. She turned her head to look at him, her hair spilling loosing around her.

He mirrored her, staring right back and not wanting to look away. Could she see that he was smiling? That being beside her made him happy?

"Stop that. I think we did more than enough." reproved Yankumi. "Teacher-student relationships should be nurturing and educational so that students always know they can rely on their teachers. The youth of today need someone who believes in them, who'll fight for them. To be good people who will go out into the world knowing that they can achieve happiness, that's what I hope!"

Her passion warmed him now, as it did then when he was still her student and the barrier between them greater with that distinction. Not that he let that get in his way. Not that he let it get in her way for long either.

"Hmm," he responded, teasing her.

Her belief caught her up like a huge wave. For some time, she proceeded to expound upon the wonders of the teaching profession, hands gesturing to make a point, excitement and conviction in every word. She loved what she did, and it showed.

He listened to the rise and fall of her voice, to where she placed added emphasis, to when she had to pause to take a breath, only to continue on.

For all her prior objections, she chose to be with him.

As she wound down, as they went back to looking at stars as silence descended upon them and they lay there luxuriating in each other's company, the sound of the cicadas took over the conversation. Neither of them had moved from their positions on the grass, bodies still slightly apart. Then her hand touched his, first palm to palm and then fingertips alone to do the exploring, lingering here and there like the finest kiss. Up and down his arm she went. Shin closed his eyes at the sensations radiating out into his body from those butterfly touches, a slow languor that also burned.

They caught each other's gaze as he gently took her wandering hand into his loose grip. He twined their fingers together, palm to palm, his thumb playing over hers in a caress until her lips parted soundlessly, tongue flickering out to wet dry lips. His grip tightened at the sight, and then he slid his hand free so that his palm lifted up from hers and fingers untwining to explore her palm, her arm. He could feel the fluttering of her heartbeat when his fingers smoothed over the inside of her wrist. He imagined many things and saw some of them reflected in her eyes as his hand dragged up her arm, the touch light and deliberate, to her inner elbow. He learned how sensitive she was there, learned how that fed back into him and made him ache to map her, elsewhere.

Her foot had stilled against his leg by that time. Her eyes had closed. Tension wound through her body as it focused on his. And even though there was more, still more of her he wanted, he would wait. Because he never wanted this to end.

-

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"_There are very few moments in life as good as this. Let's remember it. To each of us and all of us, never have we been more close, may we never be farther apart." – Lloyd Richards, All About Eve_

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A/N**: To all those reviewers of chapter 4 and before, thank you for your continued messages and patience. It really helped pull this chapter through. Hope you guys enjoyed this one! (sneaks off)

Constructive comments and critiques welcomed.


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